Correlation between HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 gene polymorphism and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

  Objective  To investigate the relationship between HLA-DRB1, DQB1 gene polymorphism and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome（HFRS).

  Methods  We recruited 300 HFRS patients taking medical services and 300 healthy persons having physical examinations as the controls at hospitals in Tieling municipality of Liaoning province between 2007 and 2016. PCR amplification with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) was used to detect genotypes of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 gene of the participants in two groups. Gene frequencies (GF) of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 were compared between the two groups and genotype-related relative risk (RR) of HFRS was calculated. Pearson linear correlation analysis was adopted to explore correlation between HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 gene polymorphism and HFRS.

  Results  Totally 12 and 13 allele locus of HLA-DRB1 gene were detected in the HFRS patients and the controls. The GF of HLA-DRB1*16 allele of the HFRS patients was significantly higher than that of the control group (8.0 % vs. 1.0 %, RR = 6.60, χ² = 4.39; P < 0.05); no significant between-group differences were observed in the GF of other HLA-DRB1 allele and in the GF of DQB1 allele (P > 0.05 for all). Pearson linear correlation analyses revealed that HLA-DRB1*16 gene was positively correlated with HFRS (odds ratio OR = 2.014, 95 % confidence interval 95 % CI: 0.373 – 10.132; P < 0.05) and HLA-DRB1*10 gene was also positively correlated with HFRS (OR = 2.273, 95 % CI: 0.254 – 9.252; P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  HLA-DRB1*16 and HLA-DRB1*10 gene are positively correlated with HFRS and may be susceptibility gene loci for HFRS.